Changing your IT provider can seem like a daunting prospect for any business.  When a contract comes up for review many decision-makers may feel pressured to stick with the status quo for the sake of perceived hassle and stability.  But decision makers need to ask, ‘Is your Managed Services Provider (MSP) working for the benefit of your business and in tandem with your long-term business strategy?’ ‘Is your IT performing to the maximum benefit of the business?’
The truth, for many, will be that whilst their IT is adequate for their needs, it does not take into account the business plan, and furthermore, is not future-proofed to accommodate growth in 2019 and beyond.
Here, Ian Snow, MD of CT, shares a few thoughts on ensuring that the switch is smooth, hassle-free and seamless.
- Review what is working and what is not working – having an open and thorough discussion with your potential new IT provider could save management time further down the line.
- Get everyone involved. The IT experience of each and every member of staff is important. Collect feedback from across your business to shape revised support requirements.
- Be open to new possibilities. Technology never sits still and there may be more efficient ways of working that you hadn’t even thought about!
- Review hardware as well as software. Carefully consider what is underperforming and where improvement is needed.
- Think short-term, medium-term and long-term on your IT strategy. Don’t take shortcuts if it is going to cost you or have a negative impact further down the line. Your IT department is one of the last places to want to skimp.
- Appreciate the importance of IT for your business and ensure that employees understand this. Your entire business infrastructure relies on having effective and reliable IT services.
- We understand the importance of minimising disruption and our support model begins with a powerful on-boarding project. We will get into the detail of your IT systems and identify where they do and where they don’t meet standards. We will discover how they work (and do not work) for your business and then plan out your roadmap for the future.
More than just an IT provider, we pride ourselves on partnering with our clients, getting to know your business and then devising solutions that perfectly match your needs.
For an informal chat over a coffee about switching to CT please give our team a call on 01246 266 130
